


The Magic of Kings

by Golden_Asp



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, End Game Spoilers, Ignis would do anything for Noctis, Ignoct Week, M/M, actually, come hurt with me, fate is a fickle bitch, i teared up while writing this, inspired by prompt for day 5 of Ignoct week, lotsa angst, not a whole lot more I can say, not really a fix it, this doesn't fix anything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 00:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11703402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Asp/pseuds/Golden_Asp
Summary: He knelt next to the king, and his hand brushed Noctis’ left, feeling the wedding band on his finger.  Ignis stilled, grief and rage welling inside him.  It wasn’t fair to lose him so soon.His hand moved to Noctis’ right hand, and theotherring Noctis wore.Ignis’ fingers moved over the intricate ring.He was a Caelum now.He stole the Ring of the Lucii, the magic of kings burning in his chest.For Ignoct week, day 5, Ignis uses the last of his magic to bring Noct back





	The Magic of Kings

**Author's Note:**

> So this doesn't quite match the prompt, but it was inspired by it so I'm putting it there anyway. I teared up a little writing it, because I like to suffer. Come suffer with me.
> 
> Enjoy.

“Marry me.”

Noctis stared at him. He had barely gotten out of Talcott’s truck, barely greeted his friends, touched Ignis, when Ignis opened his mouth and asked him to marry him.

Noctis said yes, immediately. Even knowing what was coming, and knowing Ignis didn’t know yet, he said yes.

He had missed ten years of being with Ignis. The short amount of time they would have together before the end would never be able to make up for it, but Noctis could try.

They were married right there in Hammerhead, by Cor Leonis, in the garage surrounded by every hunter who was there and Gladio and Prompto. Ignis even had rings, simple things that Dino had made for him years earlier.

Ignis Scientia became His Royal Highness, Prince Consort Ignis Scientia Caelum. Noctis didn’t think anything of it. It was continuity. Ignis would make a great king. Possibly a better king than he would, if he actually got the chance to be king. 

They had the caravan to themselves that night, and relearned each other’s bodies through gentle touches and soft kisses.

Noctis didn’t tell him the cost of the dawn. He couldn’t bear to look at Ignis’ face and break his heart. He seemed so happy to be there, married to him, carrying his name.

The four of them set out, Cor Leonis watching them sadly. He knew what was coming. Regis had told him before sending him out on patrol that day, so many years ago. He saluted the king, the bringer of the dawn, and shut the gate to Hammerhead behind them.

They walked through the darkness, fighting together, remembering a time when four young men had set out on a road trip, before the world had irreversibly been changed.

They camped that night, and Noctis told them the truth. 

He was on his way to die.

He told them he loved them, he held Ignis’ hand, watching the fire. 

He was on his way to die, and he had accepted it. 

Gladio accepted it. It was the duty of the king, the chosen one.

Prompto sobbed, but accepted it. If Noctis could accept his death with so much grace, Prompto would try to do the same, even if it felt like his heart was being torn from his chest.

Ignis was silent, thinking, brooding.

He refused to accept it. He couldn’t. It wasn’t fair.

That night, he and Noctis made desperate love under the scourge scarred sky, imagining the stars shining above them. Gladio and Prompto held each other in the tent, knowing that the next day would be their last with Noctis. They gave Ignis and Noctis their privacy.

Ignis made love to Noctis until the king fell into an exhausted, well sated, sleep.

Ignis lay there, and he wished he could see. He brushed his fingers over Noctis’ cheeks, feeling how hollow they were, the wiry hair on his jaw, the fine lines around his eyes. Whenever Ignis imagined Noctis, it was always the twenty year old prince that came to mind.

He didn’t really know what his husband looked like.

Ignis slowly stood up, and got dressed silently, always aware of where Noctis’ body was, breaths even and deep in the night.

He knelt next to the king, and his hand brushed Noctis’ left, feeling the wedding band on his finger. Ignis stilled, grief and rage welling inside him. It wasn’t fair to lose him so soon.

His hand moved to Noctis’ right hand, and the _other_ ring Noctis wore. 

Ignis’ fingers moved over the intricate ring.

He was a Caelum now.

He stole the Ring of the Lucii, the magic of kings burning in his chest.

“You think to change his fate?” Gentiana’s gentle voice came from beside him.

Ignis turned to face her. “I have done it before,” he said, touching the scar over his left eye.

“Then go,” Gentiana said, voice laced with sadness. Her voice changed slightly. Ignis thought it sounded more powerful.

He felt a pair of icy lips touch his, and knew that Shiva stood before him. “Go with my blessing.”

Ignis turned and walked away, the Ring of the Lucii burning like a brand in his pocket.

FFXV

He walked quickly, unaware of the passing of time. He slipped right past daemons. They never seemed to notice him. He reached Insomnia, walking through the city without being harassed.

Ardyn Izunia was not expecting to see the blind man, alone in the city. He knew, of course, that dear Noctis was back. He had felt it the moment the chosen king had emerged from the Crystal.

Ardyn laughed. How foolish this sightless man was, thinking to come on his own. This would be easy, and oh, how it would hurt Noctis to see Ardyn sitting on the throne with Ignis’ body at his feet.

Ignis stopped before him. He could feel the man in front of him, and knew. He knew what he had to do.

He slipped the Ring of the Lucii from his pocket. Ardyn’s eyes fell on it, a flash of confusion across his face. That was unexpected.

After two thousand years, Ardyn found that not much surprised him, or entertained him. 

The blind man holding the Ring was a surprise indeed.

“You know only the worthy can wear that ring. Nyx Ulric died wearing it. Lunafreya died protecting it. And now you bring it to me.”

Ignis said nothing. His sightless eye stared straight through Ardyn, and he slipped the Ring onto his finger.

Ardyn watched with bated breath, fully expecting the kings of old to strike down the usurper before him. 

He did not expect the Armiger to flash to life around the blind man.

Ignis seized the katana from the Armiger. He realized he had never been able to pull from the Armiger before, not the Royal Arms, not without Noctis summoning them first.

He was a Caelum now.

He was in line for the throne, married to the chosen king, blessed by Shiva, deemed worthy by the kings of old.

Ardyn barely had time to blink. He hadn’t been so surprised since Bahamut had turned him away and made him into what he was.

He felt the katana sink into his throat, and he stared at the blind man, blood gurgling around the blade.

“So…you think to change it…” Ardyn gurgled. “This…was unexpected…”

Ardyn’s eyes fixed on the sky, and Ignis listened intently as his body melted away into the scourge.

Halfway done. 

Ignis felt like there was a voice whispering in his ear, telling him what to do. The magic of kings burned in his chest. He could feel the Ring of the Lucii draining him. Every step felt like a thousand knives were being driven into his feet.

When Ifrit appeared before him, Shiva stood by his side, freezing the Pyre Burner in his tracks and letting Ignis pass by untroubled by his intense heat.

He walked up the steps to the Citadel, memories flashing before his sightless eyes. He remembered standing before the king, driving the Regalia, sharing quiet kisses with Noct under the stars while Gladio and Prompto slept. He remembered Altissia, and the despair that had fallen upon him when he’d realized he’d never see his beloved Noctis’ face again. He remembered the pain of losing Noctis for ten years, and the joy when he’d come back just days ago, marrying him in front of all of their friends.

Being told the truth.

He was in the throne room, standing next to the throne.

Noctis’ throne.

What was he thinking? He was no king. The ring burned his finger, up his arm. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

He sat on the throne carefully, half expecting Ramuh to strike him down.

There was nothing, only an expectant silence.

Ignis could feel the Armiger inside him. He summoned Regis’ sword. It came instantly to his hand. 

“Kings of old, hear me!” Ignis bellowed, slamming the blade into the marble at his feet. The Ring glowed, and he swore he heard footsteps.

“Ignis,” Regis said softly. His voice echoed strangely. Ignis shook, hands gripping the hilt of the sword.

“Majesty,” Ignis whispered.

“This is not your burden.”

“I gladly bear it for him. He…deserves so much. He deserves to live in the sun, to wake up without the weight of the world on his shoulders,” Ignis’ voice cracked.

“You have suffered much, Ignis. The kings of old and the gods have agreed. You are a Caelum, second only to the chosen king. If you wish…you can take his place.”

Ignis closed his right eye. He thought of Noctis, of his smile, his kiss, the way his shoulders had slumped after Altissia and the weight of the world had come down around him, the feel of his lips against his as they exchanged vows.

The strange but familiar power that filled him upon taking the Caelum name, the horror at learning that Noctis would have to die, and his determination to change that.

He would do anything for Noctis. That was how it would always be.

“Then I want to give him the sun,” Ignis whispered.

The Ring of the Lucii glowed brighter.

Ignis cried out when the first king flew into his body. It was the worst pain he had ever felt. Altissia paled compared to it. He clung to the sword, body slumping as one after another the kings became one with Ignis.

He sobbed Noctis’ name. He’d never hurt so much, but he was glad that he could spare Noctis this pain. 

Noctis had been through enough. He deserved to live.

“Are you certain?” Regis asked, placing his hand on Ignis’ head.

Ignis nodded, sobbing brokenly.

He thought he felt Regis’ lips against his forehead, heard a whispered ‘thank you’, a final benediction.

The sword was taken from his hand. He clung to the arms of the throne, trying to catch his breath.

He lifted his head. He could almost see Regis standing before him, looking indescribably sad.

“Noctis,” Ignis whispered.

Regis drove the sword home, pinning Ignis to the throne in his son’s place.

Ignis’ head fell forward, and the Ring went dark.

FFXV

_In the beyond, Ignis stood before Ardyn. Ardyn laughed. This man was not the chosen. He couldn’t stop him from coming back, reforming his body, tormenting his poor, dear, King Noctis._

_The Ring of the Lucii glowed bright on Ignis Scientia Caelum’s finger, the thirteen kings surrounding him. Lady Lunafreya stood at his side, and Ardyn felt the stirring of unease._

_Ignis pointed a sword at him, and the kings soared towards him, driving him to his knees. Lunafreya took his hand, her small hand soft in his. He stared as she cleansed him, and the old kings killed him._

_He looked at Ignis— body half consumed by the power of kings— and Ardyn finally felt the embrace of true death._

_The Ring of the Lucii disintegrated._

_Ignis felt himself slipping away, to wherever one goes after death._

_His last thought, in both the world of the living and the beyond, was of Noctis._

FFXV

Noctis woke with a start. He frowned. Something was different. He sat up, looking around for Ignis. He was nowhere to be seen. He was probably making breakfast.

He looked down at his left hand, the simple wedding band on his ring finger. He smiled. Even knowing what was to come, he was glad he married Ignis. He had loved Ignis as long as he could remember.

Noctis scratched his beard, frowning. He looked down at his right hand and froze. The Ring of the Lucii was gone.

“Oh no,” Noctis whispered. He lurched to his feet, half screaming Ignis’ name.

Gladio tore out of the tent, grabbing Noctis by the shoulders. “What, what is it?”

“Ignis…” Noctis sobbed, clinging to Gladio’s jacket. Gladio looked around wildly, looking for his oldest friend, knowing he was going to find his body in the haven.

There was nothing.

“Noct? What’s going on?” Prompto whispered, staring wide eyed at him.

“Ignis is gone,” Noctis whispered, holding up his right hand. “And he took the Ring of the Lucii.”

Noctis felt his connection to the Crystal, to magic, shatter.

In the east, the sun began to rise, and Noctis screamed.

FFXV

Gladio went back to Hammerhead and got a car, refusing to let anyone come with him. They got to Insomnia as fast as they could, Noctis rocking back and forth on the seat.

They ran up the steps to the Citadel, the sun reflecting off the dirty white steps. It was so bright that both Gladio and Prompto had to squint. Noctis knew the tears running down his face weren’t from the sun.

They reached the throne room, and a beam of sunlight illuminated the throne.

Prompto’s lip quivered. Gladio turned his head, fighting tears. Noctis walked up the steps, tears rolling down his face.

Ignis sat on the throne, crowned by sunlight. His head was forward, forehead nearly touching the sword that was buried in his chest.

Noctis recognized it immediately, and he nearly threw up.

His father’s sword pinned Ignis to the throne.

Noctis was screaming, beating at Ignis’ body.

“It was supposed to be me!” Noctis sobbed, collapsing at Ignis’ feet. He clawed at the sword, trying to tear it from the throne. 

It stuck firm, the movement only causing Ignis’ body to move in unnatural ways.

Noctis fell to his knees, head falling against Ignis’ knee.

He sobbed, clinging to his husband of one night, to the dawn bringer, beloved of the chosen, chooser of his own fate.

Ignis’ body was cold, like the empty space in Noctis’ heart.

The sun beat down around them, and Noctis wished for the eternal night.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are love! Please tell me what you think!


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